Daily briefing: Newly signed Travis Moen true to his roots

Travis Moen will call Montreal home for four more years.Mike Stobe, NHLI via Getty Images

So how did Canadiens forward Travis Moen celebrate his four-year, $7.4-million Canadiens contract on Friday? He took his family to the Swift Current Frontier Days Fair & Rodeo: midway rides, cotton-candy… the works. And then, back home to his wife Amy’s relatives for supper.

Did you see the latest hit on which he was concussed? It was just a routine collision in the corner, it was not even hard enough to knock him to the ice. I wonder if he has had his neck checked like Crosby and Reimer. I think he is too risky at this point for skills that can be found in younger players.

I don’t know – hopefully he contacted his teammates one way or another. If it were me I’d use the phone or email because I tend to be fairly private.
Maybe he didn’t contact them, but I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Did anyone else on the team tweet their congrats?

Could be also that he doesn’t want to congratulate some team-mates on their new contracts… when others aren’t getting renewed/resigned. Especially if last year’s group was as tight as they always said they were.

Giving a shout out to your little brother doesn’t offend most people… well except Bill.

Wasn’t aware of this but one thought that comes to mind is that, as Team Captain, he may want to steer clear of the business end in public.
He may very well have called the guys – certainly he and Cole were in touch with each other a year go at this time.

Could be, but as team captain. His role is the link between management and the players, clearly management liked Noky and Moen enough to sign them, shouldn’t the team Captain also congratulate them publicly ?

You know Bill I hate to add my suspicions but I kinda think like you in a way… or maybe I am putting words in your mouth..if so sorry.

But I do kinda feel that Gionta is not really ‘close’ to his team as a captain.. and I feel it is mutual. I dont think it is a case of disharmony or discord… just lack of chemistry.

Could be attributed to

a) fact that Gionta missed so much of the season and the trials of last year.
b) the personal relationship with Gomez which may have put him in a kind of ‘odd’ spot with Gomez almost being persona non grata
c) the changeover from the Gionta/Gomez/Cammy focus to the young guns and Cole.

Would be bad optics to strip him of it..if he is gonna stay with the team he is gonna stay as captain. But I wount be surprised if he is trade.. and if he is it would be in a package for someone top shelf.

The habs will grab Torrey Mitchell (hometown boy) if they can get the contract right.
I think Parenteau will sign here but it will be an overpayment.
Bourque will be moved to offset some of the cost…Front office is serious about a team of people who WANT to be in Montreal.

A message to 24 Cups and Un Canadien errant. I don’t know where you guys got the idea that I owe both of you a drink but seeing as though you both have a penchant for making things up I think it is only fair that you both purchase me a drink next summit as compensation. For your information I drink single malt straight up or sometimes with a touch of water. Thanks. Looking forward to getting nice and hammered.

Message to Ian. Is this summit hockey game for realz? Because if so and I am named captain of one of the teams, I just want to warn you all that if I get first pick I am taking Sholi as my enforcer.

No, no, you really did. It was during the RollerBlade Flame War of August ’11, if memory serves. I’d search HIO records if I could, if such a think even existed. I’m not forgiving your debt based solely on your early-onset dementia.

I”ll go round for round with you, but you need to own up and pick up the first one.

The thing about Bourque is that he has the size and he can score nice goals, but he is lazy and he likes to float. Some games you see him trying hard and the next game he is invincible. The salary is not worth keeping around. I can see a team like Florida trading for him, but my hunch says he will stay a Canadien but that is just my gut feeling. You can always trade him back to Chicago where he used to play?

The thing is, those same words have been used to describe a slew of former Habs who went on to varying degrees of success elsewhere (Ribeiro, S. Kostitsyn, A. Kostitsyn, Grabovski, Latendresse etc etc). All of them benefited from a change of scenery and a change in coaching. I’m just saying that we should hold off on dumping Bourque for nothing before we see how he responds to Therrien.

If I’m not mistaken, Bourque had his best seasons in CGY playing under Sutter…Therrien has a similar reputation as a hard-nosed coach. Maybe Bourque needs that kind of coaching? Who knows? Might as well find out though..

AK46 and Latendresse did not benefit at all. Latendresse did well short term wanting to prove the Habs should have kept him, then went back to his lazy ways. Ribeiro has been so-so and was not worth keepijg with his attitude. They all had me first attitudes and that never works well long term on any team. I would have liked to see the Habs keep grabovski instead of S. Kostitsyn, but they have some players who will be betterteam players in Habs uniforms in the deals.

Bourque has been around the league enough now to know exactly what he brings, it’s not like he is a 22 year old kid with unrealized potential. He can score, but not in a predictable manner. When he stops skating he not only floats, but he becomes a huge defensive liability as well. He was -10 in the month of February alone for the Habs. It’s not even about the salary (3.3M is reasonable for a 25 goal scorer), it’s more about filling the roster spot with a player who can help you win games. I would be happy to see Bourque move on.

Oh he had a horrific half season in Montreal, no doubt about that. But I still have a hunch that a change in coaching will work wonders for him. Give him a shot, if he doesn’t pan out, then trade him for whatever bag of pucks you can get.

Just for fun I took a look at the players that scored 25 goals last year, here’s their salaries:

Yannick Weber is apparently on the block as well for the Canadiens. I see what Bergevin is doing, he’s trying to get rid of the dead weight that Gainey and Gauthier brought in. With regards to Gomez and Kaberle, those 2 players won’t be taken care of until after July 1. I do see them buying out Kaberle and with regards to Gomez, he could be Hamilton bound or maybe a second chance on life. But where do you fit him into the lineup?

I am in complete agreement. The best way to advance or ‘win’ an argument (if that’s your purpose) is to be disarmingly courteous or funny, followed by being articulate and fact-based in making your case. The word ‘Idiot’ takes so much away from your argument, that nobody who isn’t one should use it (just used it, doesn’t count).

I remember talking to a work colleague (fellow Habs fan) a few months ago, he’s one of those people who are obsessed with trades and they work under the cap. He said to me ‘imagine how much the Habs would get for Price or PK if they chose to trade one of them’? I said yeah but why would they trade their franchise goalie or their nb 1 defenceman both young players? He said well, i’m not saying we should, just speculating about what the return would be.

That’s when i reached for my funny hat, used a playful tone, and said well suppose i come to you and say you know, your sister looks like a stripper I know, but it’s clearly not her. What would be the point of that?

A completely inane analogy, but thank God, my buddy has a good sense of humor. We both laughed so hard there was no need to continue discussing trading two young stars in a rebuild context. The chat turned into jokes the rest of the way…

With the cap going up to $70.2m there will be a lot of teams that need to spend big just to make the floor. I suspect there’s going to be a lot of ridiculous contracts signed tomorrow – Parenteau especially looks like a player that is going to have a huge pay raise tomorrow. I hope Mtl stays away from him, he feels like a guy that will struggle to justify his big pay day.

As far as our hole on the left side of our 2nd/3rd line (depending on how Bourque responds to Therrien). I think Mtl should either go cheap and offer two years @ $2.5m/yr to Latendresse or go big and offer up $4m+ to Radulov.

Bourque would be just a salary dump for sure. As posted from other posts. Many teams have to get to the cap floor so taking on Bourque would be a good addition. Montreal won’t get hardly anything back for him maybe just a pick or Mr. Future and his brother Mr. Consideration.

In terms of Diaz I have heard his name pop up in a package for Steve Ott. Getting Ott would command at least a centre, possibly a d-man and prospect.

Yes he would look good as a punching bag for every Hab player. Colby Armstrong was the head hunting piece o’ crap that went off scot free from the refs for repeated attacks against the Habs if memory serves correct.

Canadiens had interest in Colby years ago when he was on Atlanta, I highly doubt they have interest now. He is better for the 3rd line. If the Canadiens wanted someone like that, they can go the Arron Asham route. Don’t be surprised if they do sniff tomorrow for Asham. He is cheap, he can play on your 3rd or 4th line, he played for Therrien in Phits, he can fight and play a regular shift. His first time around for the Habs he never really got much playing time, but has come along way since then.

Someone just mentioned this below, but it’s what I’ve been thinking about.

The Crosby contract is idiot-stupid. The guy has two bad concussions in a row, is out for most of a year and then bounces in and out of the line-up with more problems. It’s fool-hardy to then sign him to a long term contract at full $ let alone one that goes for 12 years. It’s something the Islanders would do. If Crosby has problems or isn’t the same player in the coming years, that team could be screwed.

Mario lost years because of his back, but the saving grace there was he could step down, and then come back. No such chance with Crosby. It’s arrogant, risky, and just plain dumb.

I agree it is risky and stupid, but the Pens really had no choice. His agent said that he wanted a long term deal. Imagine if next summer you get to July 1 and Crosby is a RFA or UFA 29 teams would make a pitch for him. This way he is not going anywhere. I would have signed him to a 6 year deal.

Think of it this way… If he is fairly healthy from here on out the the pens get a great player. If he is out with concussion then he’s on injured reserve and so does not count against the cap. So it’s risky from a business point of view, but clearly the best move if you want to win.
This is exactly the same thing we did with Markov. The ownership was willing to risk having to pay big money out that does not count against the cap and so does not hurt the team.
I think it’s a classy move by Mario et al.

In terms of what the Canadiens do tomorrow. I suspect they will be doing many depth moves not only for their 4th line but for Hamilton as they need to get a bit tougher at both levels. Hamilton got pushed around last year, (so did Montreal of course). I suspect they will be in on P.A. Parenteau. He apparently wants 4 years.

Don’t be surprised if Montreal brings back Francis Bouillion. As many of you know he used to play for Therrien in the Quebec league and played for Montreal as well while Therrien was coach. Bouillion has expressed interest in returning. Look for him to get a 2-3 year deal if he comes back to Montreal. He would be a valuable addition to the Canadiens young d.

Moen is a great signing for Montreal. 4 years at that price is a great bargain. Prust already turned down 1.8 million per from the Rangers. Prust wants 2.2 per over 3-4 years.

Great article on Moen and the family farm. Good old Canadian kid!

I won’t be surprised if Zach Parise does not sign tomorrow. I hear he wants to take his time. People are saying that around the league. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet was on the radio the other day and said the same thing.

So this is to Carey Price and his fn agent….Listen up buddy ,are you sure you want to play for the Montreal Canadiens? Do you really have a problem with 6-6.5 mil for 7 years? Do you realize how much MONEY that is ? Moen just signed a contract that almost equals one of those years! Do you know Quick “A Stanley Cup Winner” signed for a lot less and did so probably to help insure that moneys were left over to keep the team a Champion! Have you seen how the Gomez contract has hurt the Habs and we fans! Just sign the dotted line you 26 w-39 L prima donna ffs!

Nice speculation on how much money and term are being discussed. How about waiting and seeing till the deal is done, although you would lose your marbles if Price signed for league minimum, so my point is moot.

Who’s saying he has an issue with the money or term.. for all you know they could be working out the other parts of a contract like NMC, Bonuses, Guarantees or what ever else may be put in the contract that doesn’t have to do with the base pay and term..

Oh, and as pointed out in the last thread… the supposed Price contract amount is really only above Quick’s roughly by the same amount as the taxes, to compensate for the higher percentage. So in the end their take home would be pretty close.. don’t know if you saw the tax chart link some one posted but it was very helpful

plus with the salaries arbitration we have absolutely no hurry or rush to get it done.. and i would imagine that the other players with out arbitration might need to get done first aka Subban.

“When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.”

Appparantly Colby Armstrong’s contract was not insured, much talk the buyout was b/c Leafs didn’t feel he would recover to point to be helpful and saves them money.

The concussion issues are really going to start changing the landscape for owners, Crosby’s new contract is not insured in the event Concussion causes long term missed games or departure from the game.

Owners will start feeling financial pain paying out contracts to injured players where once they were covered by insurance. Will this financial situation finally make the NHL truly wake up to the problems with Equipment and head shots resulting in players careers ending so early?

There is no basis for that rumour? Just TN says it will happen? I will give him the benefit of the doubt! he knows what he’s talking about most of the time. Besides, there’s no place to party in MTL really so what trouble could ol’ patrick get into? LOL….

In fairness to Tom Nickle nowhere did he say the “Deal was Happening” nor did he say “when definitively it would happen”. He was rather forthright in stating he had a source/friend whom he trusts to be somewhat connected based on previous tips, ie. Kaberle signing.

What Tom said was that it was his source’s belief that MB was in talks with Chicago regarding Kane and a defenceman whose name I struggle to spell. He mentioned the talks appeared to be more than casual.

Take that for what it is worth, I don’t think I need to defend Tom as we all know he can do that just fine on his own, but thought some clarity may be helpful.

Apparently this and apparently that…..apparently baloney rules the internet….but apparently it is fun, apparently.

Apparently, rumors are fun and apparently speculation is apparently speculative…..apparently. Apparently people have an obsession with Mr. Burke……apparently….apparently all the billionaire owners are apparently idiots and going broke…..apparently.

Apparently this and apparently that…..apparently baloney rules the internet….but apparently it is fun, apparently.

Apparently, rumors are fun and apparently speculation is apparently speculative…..apparently. Apparently people have an obsession with Mr. Burke……apparently….apparently all the billionaire owners are apparently idiots and going broke…..apparently….

I just hope that things start to click for this young player this season. He’ll have two years in North America under his belt, hopefully youth and culture won’t be such an issue, and he’ll have an opportunity to show leadership with all the new guys coming in to Hamilton.

I still have high hopes for him UCe, and if you saw my post (which I suspect you did) I was not trying to stir any rumour pot. I just seemed to recall hearing something is all. However, this past week was kind of a blur for me. See you at the Summit?

having NHl contracts hasn’t stopped players from jumping to the KHL. Radulov did it! I hope Avtsin clicks with some of the young skill guys the Habs just drafted. Some high skill players have to play with the players at their skill level to be their best.

Well that’s a relatively obsolete example. Years ago the KHL and NHL were at war, and the KHL chose for a while to not honor NHL contracts. That’s when Alex Radulov left Nashville.

Nowadays, both leagues honour each other’s contracts, despite not having a formal transfer agreement in place. So the fact remains that Alex Avtsin is under contract for two more years. If he did leave for the KHL, it would be with an agreement with the Canadiens.

The NHL has always honoured KHL contracts, I am not as sure as you are that the KHL is honouring NHL contracts. True, I think they are better than they were, but I would not be so sure that some players would jump if they were not happy. It is not what I would call an ancient example, it wasn’t long ago that happend and the KHL was still claiming they would take legal action when Radulov went back to Nashville even though their contract was signed while Radulov was still under contract to Nashville. The KHL also said at that time that if the NHL was going to let players come back and play, they would go after players under contract to the NHL. Maybe it was a bluff, but I would tend to believe them. Radulov came back this season, not ancient history.

Occasionally it happens that disagreements arise between two posters, and if the positions are strongly held, and the parties unyielding, tensions can rise and lead to unpleasant name calling. It’s not a pretty sight, and doesn’t do HIO proud.
Perhaps if the following niceties were observed, there would be fewer instances of inflammatory exchanges and hurt feelings:

1.) If you disagree with what someone has posted, preface your rebuttal with any of the following phrases (and for special emphasis, include all three in demonstrating your superior wisdom):

I beg to differ …
If I may be so bold as to suggest …
Far be it from me to question your sanity but …

2.) Employ gentle wit to state your position. Although you wish to make a point, there’s no need to make it pointed. Your evident good sense will be received with equanimity if conveyed with good humour.
For example, telling a poster he (or his assertion) is “full of [crap]” is problematic on a number of levels. If meant to be taken literally, there’s the matter of providing proof. If said figuratively, it’s an overused metaphor, and stands in the way of advancing your argument. Better to praise the fellow and his fertile imagination as “a lump of foul deformity,” which is sure to draw a smile. You can’t go wrong quoting Shakespeare, a quipster if ever there was one.

3.) Related to the foregoing is this, Attack the argument, not the man. To describe the person to whom you’re responding as “a poor creature, who has said or done nothing worth a serious man taking the trouble of remembering,” as Carlyle once said of Shelley, is a classic mistake when intellects collide. These personal attacks do more to weaken your case in the court of public opinion than place the subject of your wrath on the wrong side of an issue.
A far wiser course of action than ad hominem broadsides is the ‘hommina hommina hommina’ approach to rhetoric. This ploy, introduced by bus driver Ralph Kramden, gives the appearance of a bumbling idiot at a loss of words but, as perfected by detective Columbo, sets the trap for a devastating climax and a highly satisfactory outcome in a contest of wills.
In practice, this involves ceding ground at some point in an exchange of words, only to come back with a brilliant counterpunch that knocks out your opponent. ‘Boy oh boy oh boy’ does not qualify, which gives you some idea how difficult this rhetorical device is to master.

4.) Lastly, be sparing with your use of smileys. One, , may be seen as an attempt to soften the sting of your words. Too many, , can be correctly interpreted as laughing in the person’s face. As a tool for suasion, its effect is minimal.

Could be a good fit on the second line with Plekanec and Gionta? Big, scoring touch, character, guy has assets… Yes, injuries last 2 years, but he’s only 29. Worth the chance on a 1 year deal I would say.

Makes me wonder if BUrke has a big UFA signing on the horizon and needed a bit of cap space. Burke always like Armstrong and I would think Carlyle would as well. His injuries were uncanny the last couple years, I think his style of play has worn him out. Along with many freaky injuries were some concussions, I suspect BUrke knows the gas tank is near empty with Colby thus moving on.

THis is interesting, as this is one of the first acquisitions Burke made upon his arrival in T.O. Admitting a bad signing is quite a statement for Burke, of course he did similar with moving Colton Orr to the AHL last season.

If Burke can’t get Komisarek to Vancouver, perhaps that buyout is next Keep in mind Toronto still has a 1million caphit this year for the final year of the Tucker buyout. Those millions do add up.

Do not want to see Gomez bought out, either he gets a chance at camp or he is Hamilton for the year but his buyout would cripple the cap for 4 years (I believe).

Lats back to the Habs? Well, it would be good for the local economy as poutine sales dipped dramatically with his departure.

Montreal and taxes…hey, someone has to pay for all the burst water mains, collapsing roadways, giant sink holes and construction bribes…on the other hand the cafes are cool, women are hot, real estate is reasonable and quick access to affordable golf and skiing does have its advantages…I’ll be staying I think.

I grew up less than 10 km from Punkeydoodles Corners and that’s not to be sneezed at…’cause you’d miss it.

OK, back to the Jazz Fest…Montreal and good times go together like ______ and ______. (fill in the blanks)

That banker is actually William Fichtner. I remember him playing a drug addicted agent on Prison Break. Appearently a big hockey fan, one scene where he was answer or calling someone on his phone I noticed the names Crosby, Malkin, Kopitar on it.

we have to stop picking up players just for the sake of it.
We now have to consider picking up guys that will fill our needs

our first line is set
Max, DD, Cole

second line needs a left winger
??? / Plekanec / Gionta

Third line needs a right winger unless we plug Leblanc there
Bourque, Eller, Leblanc

Fourth line is probably set
Moen / NIko or maybe Geoffrion / White

So our main priority should be a top 6 left winger
the only UFA that fits that hole is Parise

We are stacked on the right side for years to come with guys like Gallagher, Collberg, Kristo, Leblanc and maybe one day Schultz on the 4th lne

So no need for a guy like Parenteau. If we have to spend 5 to get him, may as well spend an extra 2 and go get the best guy available that brings it every day (parise) or else just let time run its course

on D its the same thing
we have only 1 Legit D that plays on the right side PK
Gorges has shown he can play there too
Emelin was much more effective on the left side and Kaberle can only play left. SO unless we find a way to trade Kaberle we don’t need another Left D. Beaulieu and Tinordi play left also. Again if we don’t find the perfect fit, move on and make time run its course.

If we don’t mess with our core I think we will be in great shape in a couple of years

Although I pretty much agree that Parise is a very attractive player to take in the UFA sweekpstakes tomorrow, I wouldn’t bank on him since the price could be too high. Unless he could agree with a pay cut of let’s say $3-4 million/yr for the next 3-4 years, I would definitely take him. However, I don’t that’s going to happen.

I do agree that Parenteau is a best UFA pick tomorrow and may probably the player the Habs need to fill in that RW spot on the 3rd line.

The way this 2nd and 3rd line Centers are concerned, I believe this will be a year in restrospection whether both Plekanec and Eller will stay here for long term. Regardless of whether they could get an NTC’s with their contracts, the Habs will likely test them until the next Trade Deadline will come next February. So most likely, they might get traded anytime soon.

***OR, for some reason, Marc Bergevin is Desperate to get a top-6 or a top-9 Center, I would either see a trade tomorrow for either Pleky or Eller. Probably a Patrick Kane might be in the works. You never know….****

Almost can’t believe I’ve comeback around on him, but I’d like to see Montreal after Latendresse tomorrow. It would seem he could be a high upside fit with Eller, as the triggerman on the third line.

Latendresse has always – save the half season in Montreal before he was trade – been an efficient, high % shooter, that in theory could be a great benefit in increasing Eller’s and the third lines production.

mike, it comes down to the fact that there aren’t many options out there in UFA land, and the few that exist will be heavily courted, and that will jack up the price. That’s why quite a few posters want to go dumpster diving and come up with a Guillaume Latendresse, Andrei Kostitsyn or Benoit Pouliot.

To say he’s lazy and soft and what have you is easy to do, but you can dismiss all free agents like this. If they were any good, why didn’t their teams sign them? It’s also dismissive, and precludes the possibility that some players may learn and mature and grow up.

At the right price and term, some of these bargain bin finds will do just fine to plug a few holes in our roster until the Hamilton boys are ready, and may just pan out longer term.

Count me in the “for” camp. I’ve always thought Lats took alot of unnecessary crap from the commetariat here. The guy averaged 15 goals a year, playing bottom 6 minutes, with little, to no PP time. Eller has replaced, him on this team, as the guy who takes unnecessary crap from the commetariat here.

Same here Mark. I have kinda come around and think he is worth a penny or two via the free agency route. Who knows he may be ready to buckle down and work at his fitness and dedication. And I dont mean just lose weight. Loising weight isnt always a sign of fitness. So I wont put any value on his having dropped so many pounds until I see a more athletic Latendresse on the ice.

Wilde is certainly outspoken, not sure about the professionalism displayed with his multiple shots at PG being a vegan. Don’t get me wrong never was a fan of PG but rather out of respect for BG was willing to give him a chance. Just not sure Wilde is the most even keeled “sports journalist” out there. But he does speak his mind. Thanks for link.

Bryan Allen is catching everyone’s attention so I think somebody is going to give him a huge raise over the the $3 mill he made last year. It will be tough to land him.

One guy I’d love to see Montreal sign as a bottom pairing defenseman, and send Diaz and Weber to the pressbox, is Sheldon Brookbank. He’s tough and was a plus player in Anaheim where most other defenders there had a bad season.

That would solve the loss of Staubitz and we’d get a player who can play a regular shift on defense.

I’d be happy with Moen, White and Brookbank heading into a game against Boston or the Rangers…with big bodies like Cole, Pacioretty and hitters like Subban and Emelin.

I believe tomorrow’s UFA day will be rather quiet. As for the Habs, I think it will be the antithesis of what happened 3 years ago, when Bob Gainey virtually ripped up the team. The free agent pool this year being rather limited in terms of a player who can turn your team around in a hurry; the uncertainty of CBA negotiations and its attendant implications vis a vis length of contracts permitted,amnesty provisions,and possible work stoppage will all conspire to keep tomorrow’s activities rather sparse in comparison to other years,IMHO.

Woke up with the “whips and Jingles”after a great night on Crescent St,then remembered we signed Moen.Everything feels good now. Sorry to say goodbye to Staubitz,.What are the odds of Prust making his way up here? Hola Amigos.

Non substantiated … in for nickle, out a pound.
I’m just trying to present the big picture of what is there today before the UFA season opens. The second column could challenge for the Memorial Cup, the first column IMO still requires Tweaking TM.

I actually went thru the same a couple of years back when the Senators were trying to unload Heatley. It is too long a story for now but when I mentioned some of the info that I knew here, took on a life of it’s own and soon was mainstream…actually feel for Tom but still all is fair in chirping.

I was surprised Tom mentioned it here, we may think we are in our own world here but sh*t like that gets out and can take on it’s own life. I don’t doubtTom or his source at all, but one has to be careful. I actually felt bad about mentioning my tiny Konopka scoop, as the words tampering started jumping out. Lessons learned I guess. Have a great day and weekend, enjoy the Bostonians!

Happy Moen is back – just hope he is not the toughest guy on this team again…its too bad about Staubby – thought he did a great job in his try-out…perhaps we are going to go hard after Prust, perhaps they have someone else in mind or asking price may be to high..who knows…saying buh bye to Camp and Blunden is pretty easy…

Just a fantastic write-up on Travis Moen above. Sometimes the stats sheet don’t tell you everything about a player and how valuable he is to a team.

This guy is as good of a guy as you’ll find anywhere. Still makes his summer home out in the prairies, he’s polite, loves his family and teammates. Great all around guy!

Guys like Moen and Price who stay true their roots and as soon as the season ends rush back home to attend rodeos and be with family are about the best character guys you’ll find. They’re an example of how all hockey players should conduct themselves.

Again, super happy he’s back and I wish Montreal could find a couple more guys like him.

I like it as well Hobie, I think I would like to see Moen on 3rd line and maybe MB pills a rabbit from hat and signs Prust. Hopefully his girlfriend from Montreal is pulling out all the stops to convince him to head North

On an amazing team Moen plays on the 4th but he’s such a good positional player and having him on the 3rd is no risk. Put him with two guys like Eller and perhaps Bourque or Leblanc who can score their share of goals and that’s a pretty good 3rd line in my books.

I was at Disney Hall Thursday night to see a concert and they introduced the bass player as “Andre Markov”. He was as black as PK Subban, so I wonder how he became “Andre Markov”. I was going to hang around and ask about his knees, but I had an early meeting….

If the attitude was let the kids play, moen would not have been resigned.

I really think MB will try to shake things up by making a trade and but his stamp on this team. If this team is dedicated to winning, gomez has to be shipped out. IF this team goes into training camp with gomez fighting for a spot on the team, i won’t have much faith in this organization.

Moen is a fantastic role model for everyone in the organization. he’s cheap, hits, scores sometimes, is a valuable commodity come deadline day and he has a cup. hes gonna protect our boys no matter what. thats why moens on the team. hes a character first team guy.

He also can play anywhere on the roster and be effective. well maybe not the top line. but lets hope that situation doesn’t happen.

entering 2012-2013
emelin. diaz. white. leblanc. will have all played less than 100 games

i’m not questioning moen’s value to the team. in regards to youth though, it’s important to take into account that guys like emelin and diaz are 26. i wouldn’t say they are young, maybe not the most experienced.

cole, pleks, gionta, gomez(still have to count him), markov, kaberle, bourque and geoges are all over 27, that’s a good amount of experienced players.

But what about the “other” money a player can make. No doubt the endorsement deals increase when you are in a hockey hotbed, car dealerships, restaurants etc.. May not make up the whole tax amount, but the potential to have income after your career is over is greater in a market like Toronto, Montreal than say Dallas or Phoenix.

1) The agents don’t get paid based on the take-home amount, but on the contract. So forget about them.

2) The important figure is not how much they get after tax, but the difference between the cities, which is what makes the difference. The greatest difference is between Montreal and Florida. Florida isn’t very interesting for most players because of their decades of crappiness, and their lack of fan-support. It’s more interesting to compare Montreal to, say, Boston, who just won a cup, and have a similar level of fan-support. For a player making $7m, there is a $300,000 difference in take-home pay. That’s a 5% difference. If you honestly think that players make decisions based on 5% better salary, then I have nothing further to say to you.

3) You don’t think that Montreal is the Mecca of hockey? Go support another team if that’s the case. There is no place in the world that has greater success, a greater tradition, and a more fanatical fanbase than Montreal. But, hold on, why do I have to try to convince another Habs ‘fan’ of this?

montreal’s winning tradition has been somewhat lost over the years. saying it’s not the mecca of hockey doesn’t mean we don’t love the team; just means we’re being realistic about where we stand with he rest.

Toronto is pretty fanatical too. You may have nothing more to say, and, that could be a good thing. But, players base their decision based on money, taxes, climate, family.

Montreal can be an overbearing place to play as can Toronto. In a short career sometimes having money when you retire is important. There is no loyalty anymore, it is a business and they are selling a service.

You seem to think that hockey fans around the world still think of Montreal as the holy heart of hockey. It hasn’t ever been that to a couple of generations now. That’s why it is no longer the “Mecca” of hockey.
Pretending that top free agents will turn down better offers to come and play for less money under constant press hounding is what Leafs fan call a plan. We know better.
This 5% tax difference is hardly a new problem, and it’s why we tend to pay a bit more for UFAs. It’s not like we don’t have the money.

$200k is 10%, so that’s not nothing, but as ever there are other considerations. You can buy a great house in Montreal or Toronto for far less than L.A. or Manhattan, so what you lose in tax you save on a house. Probably the most expensive place is Vancouver.

Players are entitled to maximize their earning power, as careers are short. That said, the purely mercenary mindset will not win a Stanley Cup. You need the emotional passion of the quest for the sangrail to sustain you. Therefore the commentariat is right, if you don’t want to play for Habs, well, we don’t want you.

So why do millionaires still live in Quebec? Most of these super high earners incorporate themselves, thus creating a business identity along with all the tax relief that goes with it. Don’t kid yourself; the day a millionaire in Quebec pays his fair share of income taxes, the sun won’t rise.

Possibly they invest outside of Quebec. It is a big world out there. Paying fair/share according to who. Most people will take tax advantages if they are available and the rich can be very creative. That is how they got rich in the first place.

Going to a hockey game and having a box is a business decision that comes back in goodwill, sales and of course can be used as a cost of doing business tax write off.

Maybe the Habs should take a chance on Wojtek Wolski. He is still young at 26, has size, 6’2″ 215 lbs. and he can score. He could work well with Pleks and Gionta. With Therrien pushing him, he may just give the Habs the offence they need at a reasonable price.

Had some groin injuries over the last 2 seasons. He’s a depth player, not sure if he’s the answers to our teams scoring issues. i would say he’s much more of a 3rd line player than someone to play with pleks.

I guess I just don’t think we have reason to believe either scenario yet, he may make moves he may just be content to let others outbid each other. I think many people here believe the time for this team to be really competitive is 2 years or more away, therefore why shoot your ammo on a weak UFA class when it won’t really help the team that much. Given what prospects may join our team in 2 years we don’t want to be stuck with lots of contracts we can’t move.

That said, we have to remember to make a deal just to make a deal is to be on the road to becoming Brian Burke. Sometimes the best deal is no deal and you count your blessings that you didn’t pull the trigger.

As long as Gomez is gone (and that will take clarity on the new CBA) I am willing to let the new team shuffle the cards.

I had most of my prayers answered last season in that we dumped JM, PG, and, with profound regret, Mr. Gainey. That’s 3 out of 4, and, as Meatloaf once said: “Three out of four ain’t bad.”

i think MB is trying to get something done, maybe not via UFA but with a trade. The way i see it, this team will ice pretty much the same line up as last year. it would be silly to expect the team to make the playoffs with the same lineup. A completely healthy team would be a team competing for 8th spot.

We seem to be prospect heavy right now and the reality is half of them will only be marginal players in the NHL with a few others hopefully being stand outs. It’s time to move some of these prospects to get more accomplished players, looks like we have the cap space for it, just gotta hope you make the right move and don’t get ride of a potential stud player.

I heard a rumor that Mr. Ian is an undercover Ottawa fan. Now what ever you do keep it to yourself. I am heading to Ottawa this very moment to confront Mr. Ian. Apparently he is driving down to avoid detection and not leaving a paper trail. I will keep ya all posted.

Moen’s interview awoke my country roots. So grab yourselves a lil ol knfe and piece of wood from out back and whittle while you read.

An old Farmer’s Words of Wisdom we could all live by…….
==========================================

“Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered….not yelled.
Meanness don’t just happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about, ain’t never gonna happen anyway.
Don’t judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good and honorable life, then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time.
Don’t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t bothering you none.
Timin’ has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin’.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back in.
If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around.
Live simply, love generously, care deeply, Speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.
Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Hey Stubby (can I call you Stubby) very nice article on Moen. I liked how you put your stamp of literary inspiration with the phrase “armada of free agents” on the piece and then let young Travis figuratively put us on the tractor seat and take us through the harvesting work of his contract negotiations.

Nicely done!

And oh yeah. Just kidding re the Stubby thing. For some stupid reason I couldnt help but compare the natural and simple Moen with the disenchanting Tiger Woods. (I hate it when he calls people silly nicknames that usually end in Y”).

Big fan of Tiger the athlete here (owe him many Sundays of excitement) but bigger fan of Moen the person.

Sorry! It is Mr. Stubbs to you, junior. I wrote a fluff piece, get over yourself fanboy, Just kidding…ha ha…..I make a living off of chumps I mean friends like you. Of course you can call me whatever you like as long as it starts with “Mr.” and ends with “Stubbs”

Oct. 27th against Koivu and his Ducks.
Total Summit Weekend Itinerary to follow.

I have been given as many tickets as we need for a very short time limit. But I must pay for them ASAP.
So this is the procedure to follow! Two prices, the first 56 seats are together.
And the rest will be scattered in groups of 1 to 5. Both prices.

IMPORTANT!
Do not order or send your information to me, other than by sending me a money order with a self addressed envelope and stamp on it, to send your tickets back to you.
FIRST COME FIRST SERVE.
(international money order works best from U.S., Courier also works best)

Two levels of seats, two prices. $90ea. and $110ea.
This includes game ticket, Hall of Fame Tour ticket and one ticket for the draw at the Montreal Canadiens Children’s charity Foundation Raffle.

All orders must come to me in the form of a money order (only, not a check) with a (self addressed envelope and stamp) so I can mail your tickets back to you.

We only have a short window for this deal so get your money orders to me ASAP. Cut off date for this deal, is coming up soon.!
Everyone is welcome, but we ask that you attend the Pre Game dinner and participate bringing a gift to the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation Charity Raffle.

Will need another 5-6 to start the season off;
– goaltender who can play in the NHL if injuries occur
– a couple more defensemen, physical types please
– a couple more forwards, physical 2-way types please

Only 2 and half months to go, the clocks ticking. The pressure is mounting…this feels like “high noon” and Gregory Peck is pacing and the tension is mounting…the bad guys are coming, the song is playing…Do not forsake me oh my darling… the town folk are hiding and peeking.

Are you afraid to speak up for fear of being put down? Do you remain silent while others fearlessly give their opinions?
Don’t let nagging doubts turn you into a milquetoast. Give Certitude™ a try and you’ll roar like a lion or bellow like a bull.
“I used to be timid about giving my views but now when the guys start talking sports, I pop a Cert in my mouth and, bingo, I’m the voice of authority,” says Harry. “They listen now because they think I know what I’m talking about.”
Recommended loudly by three out of four pundits, Certitude™ – Certs for short – contains three active ingredients: testosterone, preposterone and hubris.
“Certs changed my life,” says blogger Oswald Twillingate Powell. “I used to post stuff like ‘I’ve never had a problem with roses’ or ‘I like air’ and I was getting two hits a month, from Mom. Then I heard about Certs and now I get 2,000 replies a day – half of them calling me an idiot because of my controversial statements. I love it.”
The same thing happened to Bobcat Bill, whose website has been shut down three times by authorities. He also receives death threats on a daily basis.
“I speak my mind and some people don’t like that,” says Bill. “It wasn’t until I started using Certs that I became opinionated. Before that I was pusillanimous – and you can imagine what my nickname was. It reached the point where I never said a word in public because I was afraid I’d be laughed at or challenged. Not any more. Certs made me assertive.”
Certitude™ is no candy-assed breath mint. Its bold jalapeno flavour remains strong in the mouth for hours, ensuring strongly held views don’t lose their conviction.
Montreal Canadiens fan Hugo Wannamaker has been a diehard supporter of the team for decades but he never got involved in any of the controversies surrounding the franchise.
“Who’s going to listen to a guy from Punkeydoodle’s Corner?” Wannamaker said. “That all changed when I tried Certitude for the first time. Right away I went online and posted Halak’s better than Price, and argued for Martin and Gauthier to be fired. A few weeks ago I said hiring Therrien was idiocy IN CAP LETTERS. I’ve never done that before! Line combinations are a breeze now. Trades? Easy peasy, puddin’ and pie! Free agent signings? I’ll let you know in a second, soon as I gulp down a couple of Certs.”

Get off the fence, get Certitude™

EDIT: Whoa, turns out the fake website I had included is a real one, and not the kind you’d want to visit. Except for … never mind.

Nice read, especially given the fact this appears to be a true story based on the posts at this place You should take it easy today John, that must have been some heavy lifting coming up with this one.

Aw Bellyfull you did yourself proud. My only complaint and I am out of certs is the use of certain words…milquetoast, (can you like buy that at Lobylaws.) Certitude. is that attitude but more of an assert to it.

Great seeing Moen onboard for 4 years. We need more stability roster wise. I would have liked Staubitz on the 4th unless they get John Scott. Our greatest weaknesses have been 1 top 6 more, a very weak and not tough enough 4th line, the injuries and more size on defense. If we can attend to 3 of those we will be in the playoffs.
Having said that wishing HIO’s in Canada a great Canada Day tomorrow from Germany. And a look at some creative musicians with a passion for a Canadian tradition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBI68Il4Zsc&feature=youtu.be

You know what, I didn’t even watch the second game, I was so peeved after the first, so I didn’t know until now with your post that Winnipeg lost. Not a good night for either one of us. What’s that saying, good company doesn’t love misery?

I am happy the Habs have signed Moen. He reminds me of Mike Mcphee. He does a lot of things for the team, but he still flies under the radar.

It will be interesting to see how many others are signed before tomorrow when the fur starts to fly. I hope Bergevin adds a few more pieces to bolster the bottom 6 and to add some sandpaper to the back end, but not if they have to really overpay!

Moving Kaberle and removing Gomez from the payroll will give MB room to play. I am torn between making a trade to get a player like Ryan, and waiting patiently to fill the top 6 with the prospects in the syste,. Players Like Galchenyuk, Priebyl, Avtsin, and Quailer, bring size and skill and for pure energy and offence there is Gallagher. I am not sold on Bournival, but Holland seems like a steal now in the Cammalleri trade. Might have to give the ghost some props. Especially if Thrower and Collberg turn out to be long term players.

Add in Eller, DD, Nattinen and Leblanc, and the forwards look good for the future.

Defence could surprise us. Maybe they Habs don’t need to add a free agent. At the very least, maybe add one, or two on one or two year contracts. Thrower, Dietz and Pateryn add sandpaper and while Throwwr is not big by today’s NHl standard, Dietz and Pateryn add some size. Nash is back for another year, and Tinordi, Ellis, Beaulieu should make a very solid defence with Subban and Gorges, probably in two seasons.

Now the Habs need to develop a solid back up for Price and a potential starter in case something happens to Price.

I have said I would moce Pleks for Ryan, but maybe patience is the better move and let one of the kids fill that role in a year or two. If a trade needs to be made to clear a logjam at centre, then it might be better to make that trade for prospects and or picks

Dave Stubbs thanks for the article on Moen, great read about a class act. As a fellow prairie boy who grew up working my Uncle and Grandfathers farm in the summer it is nice to see success come Moen’s way.

So glad he was not traded at deadline, as chances are the desire to resign here wouldnt be the same.

Good morning Gerald. Your point about being happy that Moen wasn’t traded is dead on. PG very well may have traded him if not for Moen’s injury. I guess in a way the injury may have been a blessing for us.

Good morning Jim, any bears on the driveway this morning? Thought about that bear story and wondered if perhaps the Bruins are filming a new commercial and plan to have the Bear attack a Habs fan in his driveway?

Happy Fishing bud, golfing tomorrow, hoping the thumb is good, took your advice on the bath salts for it, it is helping.

Morning Frank, doing okay enjoying all the Habs news, still noodling the latest trade rumour. So wish the rumour had Toews coming this way, good german kid from the Peg and he speaks french. Trust you are well Sir.

I don’t think RGM was implying that they stink. I think most of us were pleased with what these two players brought to the team especially Staubitz. What i think he meant was there are higher priorities which need managements attention first and these types of players are easier replaced then some of the teams other ufa and rfa’s. Enjoy your long weekend.

Hard to imagine what 3,800 acres look like (Moen’s family farm), but it is terrific Travis is continuing on the team. If he didn’t sign, who else would play his role at that salary level? I come on this site almost daily and I confess that somehow, I missed out on what Moen’s significant injuries were last year.

Thanks my American friend! (Unless you are Canadian!). It is amazing outside this morning. We will have terrific fireworks at Burlington’s spectacular Spencer Smith Park tomorrow evening, but of course nothing like the grandeur of July 4th celebrations.

It would surprise me if any of the players you mention would be coming with the Habs Bill. But still you can`t help from hoping even though we have been deceived so many times in the past. Of course chosing a player tomorrow also means overpaying but still…

I did predict that there would not be many changes to last years roster aside from the AHL caliber players that did their best last year without succes. I still think that the team is not as bad as it`s record showed considering that everything that could go wrong did…

But, secretly (or not) i did and still do hope that we get one impact player as we did get with Cole last year. It can make the difference scoring wise.

But i also see many promising young talents coming soon so i think next season will be a transition year. I would not be willing to give it up against anything else than a sure thing and then again…